University Controller and Associate Vice President for Finance Rutgers University

New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, seeks an accomplished individual to serve as its next University Controller and Associate Vice President for Finance (UC & AVP). Reporting to the Vice President for Finance and Budget and Associate Treasurer, the UC & AVP is a key member of the financial leadership team and will be responsible for providing university-wide leadership and broad strategic oversight of financial accounting and compliance to assist the university’s academic leadership, administrative management, and board members in the efficient and effective monitoring, management, and control of the financial resources of the university.

RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITYOF NEW JERSEY

A leading national research university and the state of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education, more than 69,000 students and 22,500 full- and part-time faculty and staff learn, work, and serve the public at Rutgers. The university has a wide-spread presence in the State of New Jersey with locations in all 21 New Jersey counties as well as academic and research enterprises around the world.

Rutgers’ comprehensive Fiscal Year 2018-19 is projected at $4.3 billion, with revenue derived from tuition and fee income, housing and dining charges, clinical and healthcare revenue, state appropriations, and restricted funds including grants, contracts, and student aid. Rutgers' endowment of $1.28 billion is a set of funds that come primarily from charitable donations raised through Rutgers University Foundation.

The University offers more than 100 undergraduate majors, more than 200 graduate programs and degrees, and more than 300 research centers and institutes in its 31 undergraduate colleges and graduate and professional schools across four units:

Rutgers University – New Brunswick: Ranked among the world’s top 60 universities, Rutgers’ flagship is one of only 62 member institutions of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU); is home to internationally acclaimed faculty; is the Big Ten Conference’s most diverse university; and is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars.

Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS): The health care division academically aligned with Rutgers University – New Brunswick, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) engages in academic, research, and patient activities across the state. RBHS includes academic units and their attendant faculty practices, centers, institutes, and clinics; New Jersey’s largest behavioral health care network; and numerous additional centers, institutes, and clinics. RBHS also includes New Jersey’s leading comprehensive cancer care center, the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. There are 7 million annual patient visits to faculty practices, centers, clinics, and institutes and 350 clinical trials supported at any given time.

Rutgers University – Newark: A diverse, urban research university where opportunity meets excellence. Located in New Jersey’s largest city, Rutgers University – Newark is the premier higher education institution in northern New Jersey. professional staff committed to advancing its research, pedagogy, and social impact within an inclusive campus culture focused on excellence.

Rutgers University – Camden: Situated just across the Delaware River from historic Philadelphia, Rutgers University – Camden is a rising leader among urban public research universities emphasizing civic engagement.

The UC & AVP is a key member of Rutgers financial leadership team and will be responsible for providing university-wide leadership and broad strategic oversight in the monitoring, management, and control of the financial resources of the university. The UC & AVP will work closely and collaboratively with executive leadership and budget and financial managers across the institution to provide strong management reporting and controls with excellent customer service throughout the university.

This position requires a progressive, forward-thinking leader who can build strong working relationships within the department and across the university. The selected candidate will need both technical expertise and emotional intelligence to manage the continuing cultural and operational changes as systems and tools continue to be improved, introduced, and integrated.

The UC & AVP leads a customer-focused organization of over 100 employees and will provide supervision and mentorship designed to develop the team to operate at the highest levels of performance, efficiency, and integrity. Within the department there are opportunities to streamline processes through refinement of roles and procedures, the appropriate use and implementation of technology, and analysis of the organizational structure and workflow.

The budget under supervision of the UC & AVP is over $10 million.

The key objectives and responsibilities of the UC & AVP include:

Enhancing systems and developing best practices to support the education, health care, and research missions of the university, while ensuring high standards of compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Strengthening collaborations and relationships across the university to better serve the mission and communicate financial policies and procedures.

Streamlining processes through the refinement of roles and procedures, the appropriate use and implementation of technology, and analysis of the organizational structure and workflow

Ensuring that the policies, procedures, systems, and internal controls are based on finance and industry best practices and support the strategic goals of a leading research university and academic medical center

Understanding the information needs of chancellors, unit chief financial officers, deans, business managers, and others responsible for managing departmental funds and providing these key customers with the financial information that allows them to make informed decisions and achieve their financial, strategic, and operational goals

Presenting to university governing boards and senior university leadership and communicating information and processes effectively across a complex institution

Building and developing effective, high-functioning teams within the UC & AVP’s organization

Anticipating and leading change with understanding, perspectives, and tools to make change seamless and effortless

Maintaining accounting control over the university’s financial accounts including operating funds, endowment funds, and plant funds as well as account reconciliations and bank reconciliations

Directing cost accounting functions in support of the university’s Facilities & Administrative Rate calculations and negotiations in support of the university’s Responsibility Center Management budget model

Managing a customer service-oriented university payroll operation, billing and collection system for student accounts and deposit system for all University cash

Preparing the university’s tax returns and establishing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with state and federal tax laws

Maintaining accounting control over the university’s moveable equipment inventory in conjunction with university departments

Maintaining appropriate governance over all university financial data

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Rutgers is seeking a committed and experienced professional with proven leadership skills in a complex environment with progressively responsible experience in financial leadership roles. The successful candidate will have accounting and financial systems experience and creative ability to develop fiscal policies, procedures, and program systems within the larger context of a strategic financial and business planning environment.

The UC & AVP must be an experienced change manager with the ability to evaluate organizational structures and personnel and implement new roles and responsibilities as well as process efficiencies that better align outputs and customer service with the needs of the university. The selected candidate will be a consensus builder with vision, be comfortable facilitating change, demonstrate a proven ability to engage various constituencies in difficult and challenging decisions, and have an appreciation for the mission, traditions and culture of Rutgers University.

The successful candidate will be well grounded in accounting rules and procedures, with a proven track record of working across the enterprise to solve problems and advance an institution’s goals. Candidates with higher education, academic health care, or corporate experience will be considered.

Specific qualifications include:

Intellectually inquisitive: Knowledgeable about, and open to, leading edge changes in business practices that could support the university in a more cost effective and efficient manner.

Strategic agility: Able to see ahead clearly, anticipating future consequences and trends accurately. Able to create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.

Change leader: Ensures that business changes are implemented and realized to their full potential through effective leadership and change sponsorship.

Strong manager: Able to recruit, develop, motivate, and manage a diverse professional staff and hold staff accountable for accurate, timely results, and excellent customer service. Experience building high-performing teams, fostering open dialogue, setting a tone and expectation of excellence, continual improvement, and strong customer service to the university and to external parties who interact with the office.

Effective communicator: Able to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization including senior management and the Board. A sophisticated understanding of how best to communicate policy and procedures across the university.

Customer focus: Dedication to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect;

Effective implementer: Experience advancing ideas from plan to results with processes that ensure input and feedback from campus constituents and superb listening and influencing skills. Able to cultivate trust and credibility with colleagues in a highly complex environment.

Well–organized: Able to ensure all deliverables are met on time with excellent products and anticipates implementation or workload issues related to emerging developments.

Exceptional personal qualities: A reputation for integrity and the highest ethical standards; sound judgment and enthusiasm; ability to establish strong relationships; creativity in solving problems; collegial style and a keen desire to be an integral part of the Rutgers community.

A bachelor’s degree and a CPA certification are required. An MBA or a master’s degree in accountancy is preferred. A minimum of ten years of experience in a related role is required.

CONTACT

Rutgers has engaged Liz Neumann and Amy Sugin of Koya Leadership Partners to assist in this search. Nominations and applications, including a detailed letter of interest, qualifications, and a current curriculum vitae, should be submitted here.

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment.

For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement

ABOUT KOYA LEADERSHIP PARTNERS

Koya Leadership Partners is a national retained executive search and human capital consulting firm that works exclusively with higher education, nonprofits and social enterprises. We deliver measurable results, finding exceptionally talented people who truly fit the unique culture of our client organizations and ensuring that organizations have the resources and strategies to support them. For more information about Koya Leadership Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.